Posted 11:31 pm Thursday, March 11, 2010
Council Adopts Code To Aid Redevelopment Of Downtown
By CASEY MURPHY
Staff Writer
Tyler downtown revitalization projects could now be put into motion after the Tyler City Council on Wednesday adopted the International Existing Building Code, designed to aid those working to remodel older and historical commercial buildings.
Staff Writer
Tyler downtown revitalization projects could now be put into motion after the Tyler City Council on Wednesday adopted the International Existing Building Code, designed to aid those working to remodel older and historical commercial buildings.
For more than a year, an International Existing Building Code (IEBC) committee, made up of city staff, as well as local architects, builders, developers and others in related professions, have been reviewing the IEBC to determine if it would benefit Tyler. The committee recommended it be approved and it was, first by the Tyler Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals on Feb. 9 and then by the Tyler City Council on Wednesday.
The IEBC was first developed in 2003 and the 2009 edition is its third. The IEBC can be used instead of the standard International Building Code (IBC) and provides alternative ways to renovate or remodel older buildings. It allows local entrepreneurs to preserve a building's historical integrity while life safety issues are left uncompromised. It also encourages the reuse of older buildings and offers a tax incentive.
Tyler Main Street Director and President of the Texas Downtown Association Beverly Abell has said there are downtown projects waiting to see the IEBC adopted before beginning. She did not offer any details about what projects might be planned.
During a Jan. 30 meeting, the IEBC steering committee heard from experts, discussed the ins and outs of the IEBC, and overwhelmingly supported the idea that the IEBC would be good for the community and could spur downtown redevelopment.
Martin Heines, a real estate professional who chaired the IEBC committee, said since this is the first time Tyler is adopting the code, the 2009 document has been tested and has become better since the code was established in 2003. He said the committee wants to come back in six months, look at the IEBC and see how it works for the city. They will consider then whether any amendments need to be made.
Heines talked about the project he completed with his wife Michelle to restore the old S.H. Kress and Co. building on Erwin Street and make it into the Balance Pilates Studios.
"It is the character in those type of buildings that really draw customers and draw people back to the buildings," Heines said.
About eight Texas cities the size of Tyler have adopted the IEBC.
Neely Plumb, Palestine Main Street manager and historic preservation officer, told the IEBC committee in January how the city of Palestine has used the new code since they adopted it in 2007. Palestine has more than 1,800 historical houses and buildings, he said, adding the IEBC has fit Palestine's needs perfectly.
Plumb explained how the IEBC helped make it possible to renovate a 1903 building in downtown Palestine. Without the IEBC, the 11,628 square-foot Gregg-Link Building couldn't be renovated to meet code standards and still be used, he said.
The city began renovating it last year and quickly met a challenge. With only one staircase and no elevator or fire detection, the designated landmark could not meet code regulations. By adding the required two more staircases and reconfiguring the old staircase, it would not be economically viable because it would eliminate 25 percent of the floor space, Plumb said.
To get a 20 percent tax credit for renovating the building, Plumb said they had to preserve its historic integrity. To do that, they decided to use the IEBC, he said. The new code allowed them to renovate the building without altering it, changing its configuration or its use. With the IEBC, they only had to add a sprinkler system to ensure life safety wasn't compromised.
Andy Bergfeld, Tyler IEBC committee member and president of Bergfeld Realty Co., said the cities really committed to adopting and using the IEBC are the same cities that jumped on the downtown train in the last 10 years. "It seems like we're long overdue," he said.
Mark Miears, Tyler plans examiner, said new construction and additions comprise about 60-70 percent of construction in Tyler while the remaining percentage of projects are renovating older, existing buildings.
"I don't see any downside to it (the IEBC) whatsoever," Mark Priestner, committee member and president of Planning Concepts, Inc. said. "It does nothing but help."
